I am definitely back in Nashville now!!!! Back in my old house that I was in before, back with my friends, back with the boyfriend, back with my family close by, and still back to Outback (hopefully not for too much longer though!)

Things are good. There was definitely some transition time needed. I didn't realize how much time I was spending by myself in Florida... I had to get used to being intentional with my time management again with friends AND work. It's going really good though.

This past weekend felt like a mini-vacation for the 4th of July. All the Buford girls were in town for the first time since September, Brandon and I went to Sparta for a quick trip to see my family all together since I've been back, and then yesterday we had a big grill out at his parent's house with all our friends complete with bubbles, water balloon toss, and sprinkler dancing, and sparklers. It was a great 4th of July. I am blessed.

The book my sister wrote that I illustrated for her is now published and in print at Amazon.com and Barnes&Noble.com! I also have my book "Patient As the Moonlight" on it's way to be printed very soon! AND I've also found a potential new job. It's a with a social media design firm. It seems really cool and friendly. It'd be a salary job in a creative field which would be incredible. SO! Fingers crossed and lots of prayers please! Things are happening, even when it seems like they aren't :) God is good.

Ell

Speaking of.. yesterday was my last night at my Outback job here in Lakeland, I was telling this one lady about how I was moving back home to Tennessee and she proceeds to say.. "You know why birds fly upside down over Tennessee right?" Knowing I was being baited for something, I could only smile and ask "Why?" She responds, "Because there's nothing worth shitting on there!" Hahahaha I was too shocked to be offended! We laughed and I told her how wonderful it really was there and that's there's plenty worth "shitting on" there in my opinion! (uh you know what I mean...) THEN she said if I'm looking for a nice young man I should look up her nephew, NOT her son mind you, she said he's not very good but her nephew is very nice! haha.... oh I'm going to miss these interesting Lakeland folks. Apparently she is a truck driver and just doesn't like the Nashville traffic (who does?) and therefore dislikes all of Tennessee consequently. I had somehow forgotten about Nashville traffic :/ It's been pretty nice to zip to work in 5 minutes.... probably not going to be the case in Nashy... I'd say being back with all the people I love in exchange for bad traffic is a good trade! ;)

In other news.... I've become obsessed with a video game. This hasn't happened since Donkey Kong Country on super nintendo during snow days. But yes, I'm hooked on Just Dance 2. Don't worry, I'm still just as an atrocious dancer as I was before, but now I have even more motivation and fuel to bust some ballin' moves! HA! It's so much fun and a great little workout too! It HAS to make it's way to the Buford at some point :)

SHOUT OUT to Maggie and Eric who I got to see last week!!! It was soooo good :) I love them and am so thankful for real friendships that can pick up right where they left off! AND for real friends that actually read my blog! ha!

Well... I would say I need to go so that I can pack, but I'm basically all done! You know what that means? I ready to come home :) Before that though, I'm completely excited about this week! Good things are yet to come!

I am partially caffeinated up right now... I say partially because lately I've been drinking DECAF! Unbelievable I know! Again, I said partially because I like to cheat and do half decaf half regular, only in the mornings! ;)

Soo.... I'm moving. Yes yes...back to Nashville :) I'm very excited about this. I feel like I was on some sort of sabbatical. But now I'm coming back!

(NOTE: Dunkin' Donuts does NOT give refills on their coffee....odd.... I guess that's what I get for sneaking that half cup of regular coffee in today!)

So, I told my work the other day that I was moving. They were actually surprisingly really bummed! I just thought no one really noticed me there, but now that I'm moving everyone is all pouty faced and telling me how much they'll miss me..... odd.... just like Dunkin' Donuts' no refills. :) ha!

I just downloaded Phoenix's "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix" yesterday. They're awesome. Just my sort of music to listen to reach optimal productiveness while working on my computer! Next up....Florence + the Machine.

Tax refund dollars should come in tomorrow! That's exciting since I've never filed for taxes before! I'm a BIG girl now! I even shop with coupons now! I'm SUCH an adult ;P

I've got the next two days off from work... I'm contemplating going some where and staying the night. Maybe St. Petersburg and Clearwater? I hear they're both pretty sweet places! Just might do it! I've never taken a mini vacation by myself!

It's been good to have a job again and have some sort of income :) Outback-ing has been good. I feel like a nincompoop most of the time but then there are other moments where a co-worker says I'm a rockstar and doing great! I'm definitely still learning the ropes though... I get to meet a lot of very different people each day which can be cool :)

My body is trying to figure its new schedule though. I WAS getting up at 7 before my job but now, on days like today, I slept till 11! Then I made breakfast...ate it...and took a 2 hour nap!!! I couldn't believe it! No, everyday ISN'T like that, but I sure am exhausted after every night.

I took some time today to catch up on all my best friends' blogs. I have the most amazing girls in my life :) You may know us as the Buford. It's tough not being around them, actually it's tough having hardly any friends here at all! I know that sounds pathetic... ha but I do have a great married couple for roommates and our friend Brandon and his wife that live not too far away... but other than that, it's kind of lonesome. That's kind of weird to say since I'm generally really happy as a recluse! I know this is just for a little bit longer though, and it's time that I need to be grateful for and not waste it!

So work it is! Stay productive and creative! About 6 more weeks and B is going to fly down to help me move! ALSO.... there might be plans for a day at Disney World in the works!!! :)

First off, the whole reason for me going was

so that I could attend Dad's retirement party. Which was wonderful! I'm so glad he got to have one, and am so thankful for all the firemen that threw it for him. It really meant a lot to him and it was great to see the thanks and credit given to him that he deserves.

Brandon, was able to come to Sparta for the party and then we left the next day to go hang out in Nashville for a few days. Saturday we ran some errands together which included grocery shopping for my Valentine's dinner he was planning on cooking for me the next night! :) Then we met up with his parents for some hibachi!!! Which I'm totally hooked on now... Drove back to the city and had some quality hang out time with

all our friends at the Buford! Lovely day!

Sunday I got up early so that I could go with Brandon and Allie to church at 7:00 am since they were leading worship. I loved getting to spend so much time with them both all afternoon. Then after lunch and casual window shopping in Green Hills we dropped Allie off while B and I went on to hang out at a coffee shop! Man, lots of hang out time!! But it was all so good and exactly what I wanted/needed!

THEN! We took off back to Hendersonville to B's parent's house where the Valentine's festivities began!! I'm talking.... surprise flower bouquets, pre-set dinner table, candles, wine! He made mushroom stuffed ravioli with vodka s

auce, caprese salad with homemade balsamic glaze, and of course all on plated and garnished dishes! Frank Sinatra kept us company the entire evening which might have transitioned into a little dancing :)

Yes, I had a very wonderful Valentine's Day. I am a very lucky girl.

And all I gave him was a mixed CD! HA!

I flew back on Valentine's Day. The airport was a rather sad looking place. What few people were there didn't look too pleased about it. I almost missed my flight! The schedule said it was going to be delayed, so I got starbucks and was sitting in a quieter section of the airport, far from my gate when they make an announcement that my flight was boarding even before it original time! So I'm power walking across the airport and I see my gate as they make a last call for Dorothy Kay to her flight. haha felt like Home Alone!

Now I'm back in Lakeland and had my first night of work last night at Outback! Yay for a job!

Ok... isn't this just the CUTEST PICTURE!!!!??!?!?! It makes me so happy!

And it's not because of Mumford & Sons currently playing, the brownie I just ate, the good conversation I just had with one of my best friends, the cozy drizzly rain outside, or the FIVE letters I just got from my special someone a few states away.

Nope. I'm just happy! I was happy before all those things just happened, because my God is in control in the good and bad.

That's been a test of mine recently: finding the peace of resting in faith even when schedules begin to pick up, stress is closing in, and things begin to feel like they used to. Peace doesn't have to only happen when schedules are calm. Peace can happen in the busiest and most hectic times in our lives. He's still just as comfortable and calm with what all is going on even if I'm not. Comforting isn't it? God doesn't get flustered when I have a busy schedule. In fact I think it amuses Him to watch me sometimes. I imagine Him watching me run all over the place trying to figure out some complicated gear mechanism LIKE A CLOCK! Yeah! Say I'm inside Big Ben trying to make all the gears turn by pulling on one for a bit, running to another gear, pulling some more, struggling and struggling to make it work, which yeah it might MOVE but it's not working.... Then God stops me... like a cartoon when the giant stops the little man from running by putting his finger on top of his head but the little cartoon man is still running in place before he realizes he's stopped? (welcome to my mind....that's what I picture) So yeah, God stops me from trying to make all the gears work... then ever so gently he taps the pendulum and it sets everything into motion. And I watch, and see how everything is in a certain place for a certain reason, and they all fit together, ticking and turning..... LIKE CLOCKWORK! haha :)

So don't focus too hard on each gear. Some are a shiny, pretty brass. Then some are big, dirty, and greasy... but they still all work together.

Well... I've got some letters to respond to ;)

ANYWAY reading through my past blogs made me realize how quickly my life changes. I'm thankful for each stage. SO! How about that Super Bowl! Looks like I'm rootin' for the Packers! Yup....I get to go home this week! This is exciting!

Well gotta go study a menu for my big test tomorrow! Wish me luck and say a little prayer for me too if you think about it!

Enjoy the game!